The Story Continues
by Ackleholic89
Summary: AU: Sequel to The Story of Us. When Damon and Elena meet again their relationship is completely different than before. Soon, Rebekah sends Matt's truck over Wickery Bridge and Elena is in transition. How will she adjust to being a vampire and what happens when she remembers everything Damon compelled her to forget?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**Welcome to the sequel to The Story of Us, The Story Continues. I would suggest reading the first one before this, otherwise there may be some confusion. I wanted to wait until I finished the entire story to post it, but I realized that I wasn't sure where I was headed with the end game, so I figured posting it may help. I do have to warn you though, that I don't have the best track record with finishing stories that post before they are completed, so I'll need your help! Reviews are key. Sure, favorites and follows are nice, but I like getting actual feedback on my stories.

As of 9/27, I have written 8 chapters and some bits and pieces are based on or quoted directly from spoilers, trailers, and released scenes for the fourth season, but I won't tell you what is what, so you won't necessarily be spoiled if you don't want to be.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own The Vampire Diaries...if I did...Elena would be with Damon and Stefan would be so far from her mind.

* * *

Damon lay in the middle of the road. "Come on." He muttered to nobody in particular. He was ready to sink his teeth into somebody. Just waiting for someone to-

"I know Bonnie." Damon turned his head in the direction the voice came from. Maybe this could be tonight's dinner. "You're right. You and my mom both are. I just can't bring myself to tell him...at least not tonight. I'll call you later," She was saying as Damon got closer. For the past year and a half or so, one girl had been taking up all of the free space in his head, so when he saw the brunette with a striking resemblance to the object of his affection, her name just slipped out.

"Katherine."

The girl looked up, then glanced back. "Um..No I" She started, and that's when he realized his mistake. "I'm Elena."

"Oh, you," _have grown up. _He though, but couldn't say. He tried again,"You just look" _Great! And You're hot now. _No. that wouldn't do either. Finally, he got something out."I'm sorry. You just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon."

"Not to be rude or anything Damon, but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere."

Damon wanted to laugh. Elena's personality hadn't changed one bit.

"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself." He said, joking with her like they used to.

"This is Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here." Damon had to swallow the laughter and anger that rose up in his throat. The fact that Elena of all people, a girl who had gotten raped here, was saying this... the irony was just too much. There was silence, a somewhat comfortable silence. Damon wasn't sure how compulsion worked exactly, but even though Elena didn't remember him, she must have felt that she could trust him because the next words out of her mouth were,"Got into a fight with my boyfriend."

"About what?" Damon asked, forgetting for a moment that Elena didn't remember them sitting on his couch in Italy talking about stuff like this all the time. He threw his hands up defensively, and quickly added, "May I ask."

Elena shrugged. "Life...future...he's got it all mapped out."

"You don't want it." It was more of a statement than a question.

"I don't know what I want."

"Well that's not true." He told her matter-of-factly, since he distinctly remembered having this conversation with her. "You want what everybody wants."

"What? A Mysterious stranger who has all the answers?"

Damon smiled. "Let's just say I've been around for a long time. I've learned a few things." _But this, I learned from you._ He added in his head.

"Well, Damon. Tell me. What is it that I want?"

He took a step forward and spit her words right back out to her."You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger."

Elena looked shocked for a moment, as if he'd plucked the thought right out her head.

"So what do you want?" She asked, trying to cover for being so caught off guard. Damon took a deep breath as he thought about his answer, but a pair of headlights caught his attention. Elena turned to see who it was and recognized the car. "It's my parents." She smiled and then turned back to listen to Damon's answer.

He quickly made a decision and looked into her eyes. "I want you to get everything you're looking for. But right now, I want you to forget that this happened. Can't have people knowing I'm in town yet. Goodnight, Elena." As he spoke the last two words, he realized how long it had been since he'd uttered them, but yet they felt so familiar and routine, like he'd never stopped saying it.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Everything past the first two paragraphs was written shortly after I saw the season finale for a different, but similar story. It was originally written from Damon's point of view, so I had to go through and change all of the "I"s and "me"s to "He" and "Him" so this chapter reads a little different to me. If you find it sounds different to you as well, then that's probably why.

* * *

Another year and a half or so passed. Damon "met" Elena for a fourth time, but it was completely different than the other three times. The past three times, Damon was a protector, a friend, a confidant. Although there were those moments where it was like they were back in Italy, this time around Damon had an agenda that didn't really include Elena, and he was determined to carry it out- even if that meant shoving people he should be protecting into the line of fire. It didn't take long for them to get back to their old selves and for new feelings to develop between them. The only problem was, there was this history with his brother. It was true, she shared a history with Damon a lot longer than she had with Stefan, but it was his own fault she didn't remember it. Damon knew many things that Stefan would never know about Elena. Heck, Damon knew a lot of things, that Elena would never know about Elena, that is if he had it his way.

There were times where Elena made him so mad, he threatened himself to undo his compulsion on her and make her remember horrible things, but that would never happen. For one, she always had vervain on her or in her system and two, well...as much as he thought about it, Damon couldn't put her through that. Even still, after that phone call, Damon was thinking about it- undoing the compulsion, to make her suffer like he was suffering now. He was in an all-out brawl with Evil-Vampire-Vampire Hunter-Alaric, fighting for his life, and what happens? He gets a call from his protectee. "I pick Stefan" she says, "I love you though" she says, "If we had met first..." She says. Damon had to laugh. _If_ they had met first. If Damon hadn't tried to protect Elena from everything that was bad in her life, she would have remembered that they did meet first, four and half years ago after the most traumatic night of her life, or maybe second most, since he really wasn't sure how much she remembered of the car accident the night her parents died.

Damon didn't have much time to wallow before Alaric was back and they were at it again. Damon lost track of how long they were going back and forth, but suddenly, Alaric wasn't fighting back.

"What's happening to me?" He asked. No... it can't be. As he fell toward the floor Damon grabbed him, and tried to shake him to wake him back up. Because if he was dead, then that would mean that Elena...

"You're not dead! You're not dead!" Damon wasn't sure if he was saying it for Alaric or Elena. Alaric's body shriveled in Damon's hands and he couldn't control his emotions. Bonnie must have figured something out, she must have. There was no way that they were both gone. No way. He couldn't think about the alternative at the moment, he had a body to get rid of. It wasn't until he was on his way back home that his phone started to ring. It was Jeremy. He hadn't called anyone to tell them about Alaric. He didn't want them to confirm his worst fear, and he had a good mind not to answer the phone for Jeremy either, but he knew it had to be done.

"Hello." He said. His voice broke. He couldn't help it.

"Damon." Jeremy said and Damon heard a sob escape.

It all but confirmed it. "I know." He told him as a tear escaped. "What happened?" He asked hesitantly.

"Rebekah. She ran the truck off of Wickery Bridge. Stefan called and told me."

"Wait. Stefan called you? He was there? Why didn't he call me?"

"I don't know, Damon. He called me from the hospital. He was waiting to hear about Matt."

"Matt? So Matt's still alive?"

"I guess."

"How is it that Matt's still alive and Elena..." Anger boiled inside of him and he pushed the pedal down as far as it would go.

"I don't know. He brought them to the hospital... that's where they are now. I'm waiting for Caroline to come pick me up to bring me there."

"Yeah. Whatever. He's got a lot of explaining to do." Damon ended the call and threw the phone into the passenger's seat. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, the tears almost completely dried. He was too mad. He knew what had to have happened. Elena told Stefan to save Matt. It had to be. And he listened to her. One thing was for sure: Damon would never forgive him. Not in all of his existence. Stupid coin toss. If he had gone home this wouldn't have happened. Matt would have been the one who deserved to die. He's the one that drugged her and put her in the car to begin with. A small voice reminded him that if Matt died, then Alaric would still be alive, and whether it was Damon or Stefan, one of them would have been dead before the night was over. But why did it have to be her?

He calmed down a little but not much. He was going to the hospital. He had to see her, there had to be some way to bring her back. He'd take her body and bring her to Bonnie and they would figure something out. They would have to. She wasn't dying tonight.

Damon pulled into the parking lot, ran inside, and immediately saw Meredith.

"Where is she?" He demanded, and went straight past her.

"No, Damon. Wait!" She said and grabbed his arm.

"Where is she?" Damon was running out of patience. He had to get to Elena and get her out of there. Meredith stepped in front of him.

"You need to know, when Jeremy brought Elena in her earlier tonight her injuries were worse than I let on. It wasn't a concussion it was a cerebral hemorrhage- Bleeding on the brain!"

"What are you saying?" _Come on lady I have to hurry this along, the longer she stays in here, there's less of a chance of her coming out_.

"He was so worried I didn't want to tell him. But I... I _helped_ her. She needed my _help_."

Damon stopped and processed what that meant. If Meredith helped her, then that meant that she gave her vampire blood and if Elena was dead then..."You what?!" This was something that just a few months ago he trying to like hell to prevent and this lady had just gone and...

"There's something else."

"What else is there? You already screwed her for _eternity._"

"It was yours."

"Of course." Damon scoffed. "I turned her mom, her best friend and her other best friend's mom... it's only fitting, right?"

"I'm sorry, Damon. But if I hadn't helped her, she'd been dead hours ago."

"And now she'll be dead for the rest of her existence. Great job, Meredith."

He shoved past her and walked to the door. Damon saw her laying there and Stefan sitting over her. He opened the door and was about to unleash all of his anger onto his brother, when she suddenly gasped.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena had been in and out of consciousness all day. When she finally woke up, they explained to her what happened and she was obviously upset and asked to be alone.

Damon and Stefan were having a harder time than usual being civil. It seemed like every time they spoke to each other they got into an argument, so soon they just stopped talking to each other altogether.

Their fights were mostly about Stefan's choice in saving Matt instead of Elena, but then there was also their difference in opinion over whether or not Elena should feed. Damon, always the protector, wanted to keep Elena alive, even if that meant she would have to be dead, and no matter what, whether she let herself die or completed the transition, news about Charlotte would get out. It would be better for Charlotte to have someone else protecting her. Of course, Damon couldn't explain this to his brother. Sure, Elena was bound to remember everything Damon had compelled her to forget, but when she finally did remember, it would be her choice to let Stefan in on the secret. So, Damon wouldn't give Stefan a clear reason as to why he thought she should feed. Stefan on the other hand, knew that Elena didn't want their life, and was all for respecting Elena's wishes.

"You weren't there the day Elena looked me in the eye and told me she absolutely never wanted this."

_And you weren't there the night she was raped, or the day she gave birth. _"Then you shouldn't have let her die."

"I never meant for her to die!"

"And now the world has one more quarterback. Bravo, Brother."

That was the last discussion they had before they decided not talking would be better. Giving Elena her space, the two spent the next hour or so in her living room. Jeremy was in such an odd position. On one hand, he was mad at Stefan, just like Damon was, for saving Matt and letting his sister die. He was also mad at Damon, for wanting his sister to be a vampire. But he was mostly mad at himself. It was his and Matt's idea that got her in this position in the first place. Bonnie was on her way over, Caroline was out with Tyler after he remarkably came back from the dead, and Matt...well...if he was smart, he would stay far, far away.

There was a knock at the door and Jeremy got up to see who it was.

"Oh damn." Jeremy muttered as he looked through the window.

"Who is it?" Stefan asked Jeremy. The look on his face said it all.

"Is that _Matt_?" Damon spat his name venomously. "Let him in."

"Damon..." Jeremy tried to reason, but in a flash, Damon had ran over to the door, pulled Matt inside and shoved him against the wall.

"I should kill you right now." Damon told him.

"Do it!" Damon finally got a good look at Matt. He was a wreck, guilty and upset. Probably suicidal. Just as Damon was thinking how not fun it would be to kill somebody who wanted to be killed, his name brought him out of his thoughts.

"Damon." Elena said. It was stern, anger mixed with a tinge of sadness. Damon sighed.

"I was just about to let hi-" _Slap!_ Jeremy and Stefan's mouths dropped. Matt just looked confused, but no one was more shocked than Damon. As he rubbed his cheek he looked at Elena's face. "What was that for?"

"You and I need to talk." They glared back and forth at each other. Damon was trying to read her expression. She must have remembered something, but what?

Bonnie quietly appeared at the front door, that never closed back after Damon snatched it open.

"Knock kno-" everyone was staring at Elena and Damon, who were staring at each other. "What'd I miss?" She asked with slight concern.

"Uhh..." Stefan finally spoke. "Jeremy, go with Bonnie. Matt and I will go back to the boarding house."

"Watch him." Damon was talking to Stefan, but remained glaring at Elena. "He has a death wish." The guests filed out, but they never broke eye contact.

"I remember." She told him.

"What exactly do you remember?"

Elena opened her mouth to answer, but saw the look in Damon's eye and closed it. "Wait... what's that supposed to mean? I remember what you compelled me to forget."

"Yes." Damon said slowly. "So, I ask you again... what exactly do you remember."

"I remember you telling me you love me in my room while I was with Stefan. Why? Is there something else?"

Damon took a deep breath, and squinted his eyes like he was trying to remember something.

"Damon." He didn't respond. "How many times have you compelled me?" She asked as she angrily folded her arms across her chest.

He thought for a moment. "Four-no five! Wait-" _Slap! _"You have got to stop doing that."

"When did you do this? Did you steal my necklace? What have I done that you've made me forget?"

"Relax, I never stole your necklace. The time you're talking about was the only time I compelled you after Stefan gave it to you."

Elena thought about that. "But that...that means...how long have you known me?"

Damon took a deep breath. "Almost five years." Elena's eyes widened and suddenly she was crying.

Damon was standing back not sure if he should try to comfort her or if she was still mad at him.

"Why?" She asked him.

"Why what?"

"Why did you compel me? How could you keep quiet after I said that stuff about if I had met you first?"

"Because," Damon started. "It would hurt you more."

Panic flashed in Elena's eyes. "Tell me what it was."

"I can't." He told her. "If you decide not to feed, then you'd be spending your last few hours in more pain than you can imagine, and if I don't tell you, maybe you won't remember everything. But, if you do decide to feed, then...then you'll remember, and you'll know that I've always tried to do what's best for you."

Elena stopped and processed this. "What do you think I should do?"

"I think..." He sighed. "I think I'm not the only one who needs you around."


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all for the reviews! They mean so much. Please continue! Four more days until the fourth season starts. Can you stand it?!

* * *

Stefan was sitting in a chair keeping a close eye on Matt, who was sitting on the couch.

The front door opened and Damon and Elena walked in. Both, were oddly quiet.

"Is everything okay?" Stefan asked but instantly regretted it. Elena immediately lashed out.

"I'm dead!" She yelled. "I...I..."She struggled for the words. She wanted to talk about what Damon said, about how she had been lied to, and forced to forget, but something stopped her. Damon and Stefan were already fighting, she didn't want to make matters worse, especially since she really didn't know everything that had been kept from her. The only memory she had recovered was the one of Damon in her bedroom. She sighed in defeat. "No. _Stefan_ everything is _not_ okay."

"I'm sorry." He said.

Elena hung her head and closed her eyes. "It's fine, I just...I'm at war with myself and stressed out over what I should do."

"Well, can you do me a favor, and just wait? Bonnie and Jeremy are trying to come up with a way to bring you back, so you may not have to decide."

"I'll try." She told him.

Not even an hour later, Damon had to pull her away from the freezer and the brothers decided to lock her up until they heard back from Jeremy and Bonnie.

Damon came to check on her after awhile.

"Is Stefan out there?" She asked before he could say anything. Damon came in shut the door behind him and sighed.

"No. He went to take Matt home. He'll be back soon."

"Good." She said. Damon looked dejected and she quickly added. "Good, that he's gone. Not that he'll be back soon. I wanted to talk to you." He seemed to perk up slightly at this.

"Did you remember something else?"

Elena nodded. "I met you, the night my parents died." Damon nodded and Elena continued, "I had a fight with Matt and I told you about it. I trusted you for some reason. I couldn't explain it. And then you told me exactly what I wanted. It was like you read my mind."

"I have to be honest. I only repeated what you told me once."

Elena tried to think. "I don't remember it yet."

Damon put his hand on hers. "Please, don't try."

Elena looked down at his hand then back up to his face. "It was something bad wasn't it?"

Damon thought for a moment. "Parts. Parts were bad and the only reason I made you forget, was to protect you or-" Damon stopped abruptly when he realized he was about to say 'Charlotte'. "Or to make you stop hurting." He changed quickly.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the shortness of the last chapter... this one isn't much better. Most of the time I end chapters with the hope that it'll make you want to read more, so when I get to that good stopping point, I normally cut it off. I'm working on chapter 12 right now and I'm so excited that the season starts tomorrow!

* * *

Several hours later, Damon and Stefan sat in silence. They didn't have much time left before Elena would have to make a decision. Stefan's phone rang and 'Jeremy' flashed on the screen. "Jeremy." Stefan said as he answered the phone.

"Damon." Damon and Stefan's heads snapped up to see Elena. Her shirt and hands were stained with blood and tears filled her eyes.

"Elena, what did you do?" Damon demanded.

"Hey, Stefan." Jeremy was saying on the phone. "Bonnie, may have found a-"

"It's too late." Stefan said, sadly.

"I had to." Elena was telling Damon. "I was going to die. I could feel it. I didn't want to die." She sobbing now. "I...didn't...I had... I had to..."She buried her head into Damon's shoulder and he held her as she cried.

"Is she..." Jeremy was asking.

"She fed." Stefan sounded robotic as he watched the scene with his brother unfold.

As Damon held her and stroked her hair she began crying harder and harder. This was definitely not the first time they had been in this situation, and Damon had the sneaking suspicion that Elena was starting to remember that. He quietly took her to his bedroom. Elena cried herself to sleep as Damon held her. They didn't even have time to talk about everything she remembered.

He soon fell asleep as well and was awoken by Elena's scream. He opened his eyes and looked around for her, finding her on the other side of the room.

"Elena, what's wrong?"

"The sun." She croaked. Her throat was dry from crying all night. "It burned me." She told him as she held up her hand and the burn mark on her arm slowly faded away.

Damon went to close the blinds on the window and Stefan barged into Damon's room. "Is everything alright in here."

"I'm fine." Elena snapped at him.

"Bonnie needs to make her a daylight ring, or something."

"What about your necklace?" Stefan asked her.

Elena took it off and threw it at Stefan. "Now, leave. Please."

Stefan was obviously hurt as he made his way out of there.

"I remember." Elena finally whispered, so softly it was almost completely silent. There was no way Stefan could hear, but Damon could hear just fine.

"How much?" He whispered at the same volume.

"All of it."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I remember the party in the woods. I remember..." She trailed off. "And I remember what happened when I met you. I remember Italy, and Gia, and Charlotte." Elena paused, close to tears. "She's not safe anymore, is she?"

Damon shook his head. They heard Stefan start to make his way back so they stopped talking and just stood there staring at each other until he came in and handed her the necklace. Damon went to the window and opened the blinds. Elena took a few steps forward and shoved her hand into the sunlight. When it didn't burn, she stepped fully into the rays and took a deep breath.

"Damon," She started. "Can we go outside and talk?"

"Sure." He told her. He followed her down the stairs where they were met with Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Tyler, and Matt.

Everyone stood to their feet when she appeared. She wanted to just walk outside, but she took a deep breath and said, "Thanks for fixing my necklace, Bonnie." Then opened the door and walked out. Elena went straight for Damon's car. "I hope you have your keys." She called out.

Damon reached in his pocket and pulled them out. "Why?"

"Get in the car and we can talk on the way there."

"I'd really like to know where we're going before I get into the car with you."

"The airport."


	6. Chapter 6

Since a few of you asked so nicely, here's the next chapter, (It's short. I'm sorry.) and for people who have seen the premier, there are a few tidbits at the end of chapter about the similarities between the story and the show.

* * *

The airport was almost an hour away which gave them plenty of time to talk.

Elena was the first to speak once they were a little ways down the road. "How can we find her?"

Damon sighed. "She's with Gia."

"What?" Elena asked, shocked. "But I thought..."

Damon shook his head. "I had full intentions of sending her off with some nice couple, but after you filled out the paperwork, I realized she wouldn't be safe. I'd had my suspicions about the Petrova line and I knew she needed to be in a place where we could protect her if we needed to. So, when Gia came to get her, she took her to my room, I compelled you to forget us and then watched her until you left. Then I left too."

Elena nodded, understanding why he did what he did. "I can't get that first night I met you out of my head."

"You mean what happened before you met me?"

Elena nodded. "I can't see his face. Not really."

"Look," Damon decided to change the discussion. "I don't know if you getting on a crowded plane is such a good idea."

"Well, then how the hell do you suggest we get to Italy to get Charlotte back."

"Well, we could drive."

"To Italy? Damon, you've lost it."

"Not to Italy. They live in Canada."

"For how long?"

"About a year. We thought it was safer."

"Well, okay then. I guess we're going to Canada." Elena seemed to be thinking about something when she finally said. "Dammit."

"What?" Damon asked.

"We don't have passports. Not on us."

"We didn't have them when we were headed to the airport either."

"Yeah, but I wasn't thinking about that. I just knew we had to leave. We have to go back and get them."

"Elena," Damon wanted to laugh. "We're vampires. Remember that compulsion thing we do?"

Elena mentally slapped herself. "We can compel them to let us over the border."

"Exactly." There was silence again and he glanced over at her. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing...everything." She smiled. "I remember the conversation we had in Italy about what we wanted. I..."She wasn't sure if she wanted to continue her thought or not, then decided 'what the hell.' "I had developed a school girl crush. When I told you that, I was... I was talking about you." Elena giggled.

"Wow." Damon laughed. "And who knew, after all of that you'd still pick my brother over me."

Elena didn't say anything for a moment. "Stefan isn't the one I'm with right now. Is he?"

Damon raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say, Elena?"

"I guess what I'm saying is that when I told you 'maybe if I met you first', I meant it." She said, then leaned over and began kissing his neck.

* * *

Fun Facts volume 1 (assuming that there will be multiple volumes): The lines that were word for word in the show, I got from the scenes and trailers they released a few weeks ago.

That fact that Damon's blood is what Elena had in her system, even though it was in the promo scenes, I wrote that chapter before I knew that the writers had decided that.

Story Spoiler Alert!: Depending on how the stories this season go, I may try to add my own spin on them, adding a few extra characters if you know what I mean...obviously starting with next week's episode, because there's really no way to fix up this week's, since Elena and Damon are out of the country during what the first episode consisted of.


	7. Chapter 7

This is one of the longer chapters, and one of my favorites I think. I don't know why though. It'st just starting to get good.

* * *

The gang back at the boarding house had started calling and Damon and Elena both were sending the calls straight to voicemail. Elena hadn't thought about how she wanted to tell her friends about her daughter, but a phone call was definitely not the way. She knew that if she answered it she wouldn't be able to tell them what her and Damon were up to anyway. She decided that hourly texts to her friends to let them know she was fine and hadn't gone on a killing spree with Damon were just as good as picking up the phone anyway.

It had finally gotten so late that Damon had to stop and get a room for the night.

"Remember the last time we stayed at a motel?" Elena asked as she grabbed Damon's arm and leaned into him as they walked to their room.

"Oh, do I."

"If Jeremy hadn't interrupted us... I wonder how things would be different. Or if they even would be."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if we'd slept together that night...maybe our status as a couple would have changed. It wouldn't have been a coin toss that determined if you or Stefan came back to Mystic Falls, because as my boyfriend, you would have had the right. Then, maybe you would have known what Jeremy and Matt were planning and I never would have gotten in the car, or you wouldn't have listened to me and would've saved me from drowning instead of Matt. Then, Stefan would have been left to fight off Rick, and I don't think he would have had a chance."

"So, are you saying it's a good thing that Jeremy interrupted us that night?"

"I don't know. I guess we'll never know how that effected everything." They reached their room and Damon opened the door. "I do know one thing though."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

Elena smiled coyly. "Jeremy's not here tonight."

"My throat's burning." Elena complained a few hours later as she got up from the bed and walked to the other side of the room.

"You need to feed." Damon told her point blank.

"I get that." She grumbled.

"Have you thought about how you'd like to go about doing it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Animals, humans, bloodbags?"

"Oh...no, I haven't given it much thought."

"Well, personally, I say go human, and fresh is best. If you deny it to yourself, the slightest drop could send you into a frenzy. And we all know what frenzies look like thanks to Dear Old Stefan." Elena seemed to be thinking about it, before Damon said. "I've got a few bloodbags in the car. Come on, it's nothing you haven't already had before." Elena agreed.

Later the next day, they were crossing the border, and Damon even let Elena do the honors. Not long after that, they were pulling into the yard of a quiet house.

"Is this it?" Elena asked him.

"Yep." Damon replied.

Elena noticed a pink tricycle in the yard and tried to imagine her little girl riding it and regretting all of the time she had missed out on.

The two vampires got out of the car and walked to the front door and Damon knocked.

"Just a second." They heard from inside. A moment later, a woman with dark red hair opened the door. It took a second for Elena to realize that this was Gia, since the last time she saw her, her hair was a dark brown and she was in her late teens.

"Uncle Damon?"

"Gia?" Elena said before Damon could say anything.

Gia studied her for a second, before recognition flashed in her eyes. "Oh my God, Elena?!" Gia took a step outside and gave Elena a giant hug. "What are you two doing here?" She asked as she walked inside the house, expecting the two to follow her.

"We need to talk to." Damon told her as he took a step inside.

Elena was about to follow, but there was some sort of invisible force field, like she and the doorway were the same sides of magnet. She hadn't been invited in.

"What about?" Gia asked.

"Um...Damon?" Elena asked from the door. Both Damon and Gia turned their heads.

"Elena, what are you doing outside?" Gia asked with a slight smile.

Elena bit her lip. "I uh... I can't..." Instead of finishing her sentence, she demonstrated the effect the doorway was having on her body.

"Oh, no." Gia said sadly. One, because she never wanted to see anybody she loved in this condition, and two, she knew that meant Charlotte was no longer protected with her.

"That's," Damon started. "Kind of why we're here."

Gia nodded and could already feel a lump in her throat. "Come inside, Elena. Of course, you can come inside."

Suddenly, the invisible barrier was removed and Elena took a step inside the house. She looked around and saw the pictures on the wall. Gia with a little girl. "Is that her?" Elena asked as she took a few steps toward the frame.

"Yep." Gia told her. "I still think she's the spitting image of you."

Elena nodded. "Does she know who I am?"

"I've shown her pictures of you, and told her that you'd come and get her one day."

"Where is she?"

"Upstairs, coloring."

"Elena." Damon said before she could even think about going up there. "We need to talk first, then you'll have all the time in the world to see her."

Elena sighed and nodded. The vamps followed Gia to the the living room where they all sat down and talked. After they caught Gia up on the entire story, Gia began catching Elena up on her and Charlotte's lives.

"I call her 'Charlee' sometimes." Gia was telling them when they heard a small voice.

"Aunt Gia, I hurt myself."

One moment, Elena smelled the blood and the next she was on her back, sliding across the wood floor and hitting a wall. The way Damon had her pinned down, if she were still human, she'd be dead.

She suddenly realized she was hissing and her fangs were exposed. "Oh my God, what did I do?"


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I recently started a new job and I haven't had much time to write, and even though I have 8 chapters already written, I don't want to post everything I have and be left with nothing for a long time. Plus, I'm kind of trying to figure out where I want to go with what I'm writing right now, so we'll see what happens...

A/N 2: How many of you LOVED the Delena scenes in this week's episode?! I'm loving this season so far.

* * *

"Damon, you can get off me now, I'm fine."

"I'm not convinced."

"Uncle Damon, Uncle Stefan called you."

Damon turned around ready to tell Gia not to worry about it, when he saw that the call was connected. "You answered my phone?" Damon whispered angrily as he snatched the phone away from her.

"Yes, I-"

"What did you tell him?" Damon asked. He still had most of his body weight on Elena.

"Nothing. I said 'hello' and he asked to speak to you."

Damon sighed. "Take her" he motioned to Charlotte with his head, "And go upstairs." Gia nodded and did as she was told. He positioned himself back the way he was pinning Elena down and hung his head for a moment before putting the phone up to his ear. "Hello, Brother."

"Damon, where are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Yes, I would, and did that girl who answered your phone call you 'Uncle Damon'?"

"Yes, Stefan. You caught me. I went to a family reunion and took Elena as my 'plus one.' You weren't invited and I know how much that kind of thing upsets you so we didn't say anything and now we feel horrible. " Damon said quick and sarcastically. "So bye-"

"Damon, wait!"

Damon sighed again and mouthed, 'So close.' "Yes?"

"How's Elena?"

"Elena? Oh, she's fine. No problem's here."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"I wouldn't have the slightest idea."

"Well, there's something that you should know. I've been trying to reach you all day."

"I knew that. Goodbye-"

"Wh- no! That's not what you should know! I was telling you that I was trying to reach you all day about what it is that you should know."

"Well, how badly do I need to know it, because you sure are taking a long time to spit it out."

Stefan sighed. "Okay, just hear me out all the way through."

"I'm waiting on you, Brother."

"Tyler wasn't really Tyler. He was Klaus in Tyler's body. Bonnie did a spell to send Klaus there to save us, now it's all fixed. Tyler is back in his body and Klaus in back in his, but Klaus is still alive."

"Well, thanks for letting me know, Stefan." Damon hung up the phone and shared a look with Elena who had overheard the whole conversation. "Things just got a whole lot more complicated."

"As if we thought that wasn't possible." Elena groaned. "Can you get off me now?"

"I don't know, Elena, you did just try to attack your daughter."

"And you don't think I feel bad about that? I'm going to hate myself forever because of it."

"Forever is a very long time."

"I know."

"Not yet you don't."

Elena flinched. "You're right. But I will." Elena thought for a second. "Do you think the four of us could stay together? Me, you, Stefan and Caroline?"

Damon laughed. "Everyone would call us Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Stefan can be Baby Bear." Elena chuckled. "I think you're ready."

"For what?"

"For me to get off of you so we can go upstairs."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I 'm sorry all of these are so short. Really, I am. Thanks to the person who congratulated me on my job. I'm actually working at Disney World. I did the college program back in 2010 and now I'm part time. So, if you ever make your way to Orlando (or want to know anything about working there), let me know! Haha... I actually met a guest a few days ago who was from Covington, Georgia and said she saw them filming something for Christmas possibly...so I guess we'll see soon! Also, we meet Charlotte for real this chapter, and when she talks, I tried to write it how I picture her talking, so some 's' and 'th' sounds become 'd' and 'f'. And 'r's are hard for her to say as well... I had to get creative with something of the spellings, but if you get confused about what she's actually saying, just let me know and I'll put a translation at the bottom of all of the chapters.

* * *

Elena and Damon walked into what was presumably Charlotte's room, and found Gia and Charlotte on the floor coloring.

"Is she okay?" Elena asked softly.

Gia looked up and smiled. "She fine. Just a papercut. You two were moving so fast, she didn't see what was going on." Elena sighed in relief. She eased over to the two and sat down. "Charlee," Gia spoked again. "There's somebody I want you to meet."

Charlotte looked up at her aunt and then over to Elena.

"Hi, Charlee." Elena told her as she tried really hard not to cry, but didn't seem to be succeeding.

"Hi!" Charlotte smiled. "I'm fhree!" She said happily and held up three fingers.

"Wow! You're so big!" Elena sniffled.

Charlotte's face contorted into one of confusion. "Why ah you cwying?"

Elena opened her mouth to say something, but Gia spoke first. "Charlee, do you remember those pictures I show you every night?"

"Of my mommy?"

Gia nodded. "That's right of your mommy."

"Do you wanna see dem?" Charlotte didn't wait for a response. She got up, grabbed the pictures off the night stand and ran back, plopping down into Elena's lap. She picked up the first one, a fun one of Damon and Elena. Damon sat on the couch facing toward the camera, looking unamused as Elena sat on her knees facing him with her tongue out. Charlotte pointed to Damon then to Elena. "That'd Uncah Damon and that'd my mommy." Charlotte giggled. "She's silly."

To Elena, the sound of her daughter's laughter was music to her ears. Charlotte picked up the next one. The picture was one that was taken when Elena was about to pop. Gia's head was level with Elena's belly and she pointing and giving a crazy look to the camera. Elena had been self conscious about her size, but Gia had convinced her to take the picture anyway. When Elena saw the face Gia was making in the reflection from the TV, she buried her head in her hands. "That'd Aunt Gia and Mommy," She pointed to the bump. "An that'd me!"

The next picture was from the day Charlotte was born. Elena was looking down at a tiny pink bundle in her arms. "That'd me and Mommy." The final picture, was the only one where Elena was actually looking at the camera and smiling. She held an almost two month old Charlotte, who was facing the camera as well. Instead of explaining who the people in the picture were, like she'd done for the other three, Charlotte stared for a little bit. She stood up and faced Elena, putting the picture next to her face to compare the two. "You kind ob wook wike her."

"Elena," Damon spoke from the door. "I'm going go see about getting us something to eat. We don't have anymore in the car. Are you going to be okay."

Elena nodded sadly. "I'll be fine." Damon nodded and left quickly.

Charlotte continued staring the picture, the tiny wheels turning in her head."You name id Ewena?" Elena nodded. "My mo..my mommy name id Ewena too." Charlotte told her then put the pictures on the ground and sat back down to color.

"Where's your bathroom?" Elena asked. Gia gave her a slightly confused look, but pointed across the hall. Elena didn't have to go, but she had to get out of there. Before she even got the door closed, she was sobbing uncontrollably. She wasn't sure how long she was in there, but it was long enough for Damon to leave and come back, because he was knocking at the door.

"Elena, open the door or I'll break the lock."

Elena, went to the door, unlocked it and sat back down on the edge of the tub.

Damon came in and closed the door behind him. "What happened?"

"She hates me." Elena sobbed.

"Did she tell you that?"

"No, she didn't have to. I don't know what I expected. She's never met me. I'm here to take her away from the only family she's ever known. I'm a monster."

"You're not a monster Elena. You didn't mean to attack her."

"Oh my God." Elena was distraught as she covered her mouth. "I wasn't thinking about that."

Damon's eyes widened in horror. He was starting to get the idea that maybe he shouldn't have compelled her to forget everything before. Dealing with it all as an over-emotional vampire was turning Elena into a train wreck.


	10. Chapter 10

After she had finally calmed down, and had 'supper', Elena and Damon walked out of the bathroom and into the living room where Gia and Charlotte were watching TV and sitting on one of the two couches in the room. Damon and Elena took the other. Charlotte eyed them as they came in and soon got up and walked over to them and climbed up to sit between Elena and Damon. She leaned mostly on Damon but stole a few sideways glances of Elena and slowly began to ease nearer to her. Charlotte yawned and stretched her tiny body out, with her head in Elena's lap and her legs on Damon's. Elena began to softly stroke her daughter's hair and Charlotte was slowly drifting off to sleep, when she sat up, all of a sudden and looked Elena straight in the eye.

"You not gonna weave me. Ah you?"

Elena shook her head. "No. Never."

Charlotte wrapped her arms around Elena's neck and Elena, of course, returned the hug. "I knew it." Charlotte whispered in her mother's ear. She finally let go and laid back down in her original position. Elena began to stroke her hair again, and just before falling asleep, Charlotte quietly said. "Night, Mommy."

Elena swallowed back the lump her throat. "Goodnight, Baby." She whispered as her voice broke.

Gia and Damon had a difficult time, convincing Elena to put Charlotte in her room, and to talk with them- after all, they had a lot to discuss- but they finally succeeded.

"Alright, Damon," Elena started as she came back to the living room. "What do we need to talk about?"

"Well, for one, Klaus knows you're not human anymore."

Elena hadn't thought about that. So much was going on- she had just been invited into her first house, she was about to meet her daughter, she had just tried to kill her daughter and Damon had her pinned on the floor- the phone call from Stefan didn't seem that important at the time. She had even contemplated making sex noises and giggling to get him off of the phone.

"Klaus?" Gia asked. "The hybrid original that you guys think started your bloodline? How'd he find out?"

"He was in Tyler's body." Elena told her. "We found out earlier."

"Tyler?" Gia asked, as if trying to remember which one that was. "Wait, so that's why he was alive?"

Elena nodded, but Damon was the one who spoke,"Yeah, which reminds me, _the witch_ and I are going to have a talk when we get back."

"Damon," Elena warned. "You know that she only did it to protect you."

"She didn't do it to protect me, Elena. She did it to protect her mother, and Caroline, and maybe even Stefan. Saying she did it to protect me, would be like her saying she did it to protect Katherine."

"Well, she protected me too, she just didn't know it." Damon went quiet to process the thought. "And she probably protected Gia and Charlotte, or even Jeremy. You saw what Rebekah did to me when she found out about Klaus. Imagine what she would do to everyone else that I love."

"Well that's a depressing thought." Gia spoke up. "So, what's going to happen now?"

"Well," Damon started. "We were hoping to have a little time to figure this out before any of the originals knew about Elena or realized we were gone. Now the most important original knows both."

"Do you think he'll be trying to find us?" Elena asked him.

Damon shrugged ."I don't know."

"Why would he? He doesn't know why you left." Gia offered.

"That's exactly why he would." Elena told her. "We left so abruptly he had to have thought something was up. Everyone must have."

"So how soon do we need to leave?" Gia asked.

Damon spoke, "I think we should leave tomorrow. We'll get a good night's sleep and then start heading back. Let's think about a cover story tonight and we'll talk about it on the road."

The girls nodded and the three of them got up. "Oh, Elena," Gia started. "I only have three rooms, mine, Gia's and Damon's when he's here, so you can take my bed and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Oh, no, Gia that's fine. I'll sleep with Damon." Damon chuckled and Elena's eyes widened. "I mean-" Elena tried to laugh it off, but the flustered look on her face gave her away.

"Oh!" Gia said with some surprise. "I didn't... pick that up from you guys."

"Um...it's..." Elena tried, but was having a hard time explaining herself. Embarrassment was written all over her face. "New." She finally said.

"Goodnight, Gia." Damon told his niece.

"Goodnight, Uncle Damon. Goodnight, Elena."

"Goodnight, Gia." Elena told her. Damon put his arm around Elena and led her back to his bedroom. "God, that was mortifying." Elena groaned once they door was closed. "How are we going to explain it to everyone else?"

"Explain what?"

Elena raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean, 'explain what'? You've been trying to get into my pants for a year and a half and now that you have you don't think we need to explain anything?"

"You want to tell everybody we slept together?"

"Well, I thought it was more than just sex."

"Oh really now?" Damon asked as he wiggled his eyebrows and took a step toward Elena so he was close enough to put his hands on her waist and bring her close to him.

Elena smirked. "Don't even think about it now." She shoved his hands off of her and laid down on the bed. Damon groaned and followed her.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hey guys! Please review so I know if you're reading it! The reviews give me the incentive to write and update.

* * *

Elena was wandering around in the woods. Her classmates' laughter was distant, but she had the distinct feeling someone was following her. She looked around, but didn't see anybody. Suddenly a twig snapped behind her. As she turned around, someone grabbed her arm and she let out a shriek.

"Gotcha!" Matt exclaimed joyfully. The middle-schoolers had been playing some form of team hide-and-seek and she had just been caught. Elena sighed, and let Matt lead her back to the open area they had dubbed "home base." Once they were back and everyone had been found, the kids decided to move on to something else. It was then that Elena went to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and realized her earring was missing.

"Hey, Matt, you go ahead. I think I lost my earring in the woods."

"Do you want me to come help you find it?"

"No, I'm fine." Elena smiled then went off in the direction she thought she lost it. A small gleam caught her eye and bent over to pick up the jewelry. She placed it in her pocket, and was immediately grabbed from behind, a strong hand clamped over her mouth.

The hot breath in her ear told her, "Scream, and I'll kill you." He turned her around and forced her down onto the ground. He bent over her and she spit at his face. The momentary shock he was in, was enough for her get up and attempt to run away but he reached out and grabbed her ankle. She tripped face first and he pulled her back by her foot. He turned her back to face him again and laid on top of her so that she couldn't move.

"Try to get away again, and you won't like what happens." She struggled against him and he hit her. He held her arms down above her head with one of his hands, restrained her legs with his, and with his free hand, ran his fingers along her inner thigh, up her skirt.

Silent tears fell from her eyes as she tried to block out what was happening. He softly licked and kissed all of the tears that fell, and Elena thought she was going to be sick. He removed his hand that was holding her arms down, but she was afraid of what he would do if she tried to move. The man lifted her shirt with the hand he had just been using to hold her arms down, while the other hand found the band of her underwear and he slipped his fingers inside. He began to kiss her stomach and Elena used a free hand to try to push his head away. It snapped up and he grabbed her wrist and bit down as hard as he could. It took a few second for the pain to register, but when it finally did, she opened her mouth to scream, but his mouth quickly covered hers. The kiss was wet and sloppy and Elena had to fight to keep down the food she had eaten earlier. She had finally given up on fighting back because she knew what was going to happen, she didn't want to make it worse. She went completely limp and closed her eyes in hopes that when she opened them again, it would all be a bad dream. She felt him pull her underwear down then heard him unzip his pants. She bit her lip and tears escaped and she felt him inside of her.

Elena sat up with gasp.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked with concern.

"Oh my God."

"Elena?" He asked and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I- I remember."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I remember who Charlotte's father is." But quickly added with a bite, "If you could call him that."

"Well, who is it? I'll kill him." Damon with fury in his eyes.

Elena looked into his eyes and sighed. "You already did."

* * *

Okay so, *SPOILER ALERT* for the show... 1) I'm so glad that Elena and Stefan finally broke it off, and she admitted her feelings for Damon! I can't wait until next week! 2) Apparently the Dec. 6th episode is a flashback episode that features Madeline Zima as one of Damon's past flings... her character name? Charlotte...creepy. And not creepy as in OMG they have the same name... but creepy in the sense that everytime I think of Charlotte... I think of this one...and this one and Damon...just creepy.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** So I changed the picture, to more of what I've been imagining Charlotte to look like. Yes, that is Mackenzie Foy...AKA Renesmee from Breaking Dawn. She's the closest I've found to what I picture. I changed her eye color as well, so everything about her in this picture, is basically Charlotte. Also, FYI... there are plenty of twists with this story, that I'm still surprising myself with. I went on a writing spree not too long ago and wrote like four chapters in one night, so now I'm up to 24 and I can't wait for you guys to read what happens. It's taken a somewhat different direction than what I thought it would.

Please review!

* * *

Damon gave Elena a confused look. "I did?"

Elena nodded and threw her legs over the side of the bed, trying to steady her breathing. She couldn't really believe it herself.

"Are you going to tell me?" Damon asked her as he moved over in the bed so he could put his hand on her shoulder. Elena looked back at him and then looked down and bit her lip.

"It was your nephew, Zack."

Damon looked taken aback. "Really?"

Elena shook her head in disbelief and stood up. "It seems totally out of character for him. I mean, I didn't know him very well, but I didn't think he would be capable of doing something like that."

"I agree." Damon shook his head. "Something doesn't add up."

They sat in silence for several minutes before they realized the sun was starting to rise.

"We should probably wake them up." Elena suggested.

Damon nodded and moved to get dressed.

A few hours later, Elena and Charlotte sat in the backseat while Damon drove and Gia rode shotgun.

"So, you guys have been pretty quiet." Gia said suddenly. Charlotte had fallen asleep and Elena was softly stroking her hair. Damon look in the rear view mirror and exchanged glances with Elena.

"Sorry." Elena finally said. "That's my fault. I woke up from a nightmare this morning and it kind of put me into this weird funk."

"Gia," Damon started. "We think Charlotte is your sister."

"What?!" Elena and Gia exclaimed at the same time. Charlotte stirred for a moment before falling back asleep almost instantly.

Damon sighed. "Zack is Gia's father, and if you're remembering correctly, then Zack is Charlotte's father too which would make Gia and Charlotte half-sisters."

"Oh my God!" Gia said quietly as she processing what Damon was telling her.

"But," Elena started. "I thought Zack didn't have any kids that he knew about."

"He was young." Gia told her. "When he found out my mom was pregnant he wanted her to get an abortion. He didn't want to have a child to be raised where vampires were a constant threat. My mother wanted to have me, so Zack arranged for her to live with Uncle Damon until I was born and he asked to be compelled to forget about us. My mother died in childbirth and my parents were actually some distant relatives."

"What happened to them?" Elena asked.

"Well," Damon picked up the story. "I lived with them in Washington at the time, but I still moved around a lot. When Gia was 17, actually, the night I met you, after I dropped you off at home, I was attacked by a hunter. Before I snapped his neck, he told me that her parents were the ones who called him and told him where I would be. I've always had anger issues. So, I took Gia to Italy with me and that's where you met her."

"But from everything I've heard about Zack, for him to do that to you...it's so..."

"Out of character?" Elena offered. Gia nodded. "I know. Something tells me we don't have the whole story."

"Have you thought about how you want to tell people about Charlotte?" Gia asked.

Elena shrugged. "I don't. I don't want want people to know."

"Why not?" Damon asked her.

"Two reasons. One, is kind of selfish, but I feel like it's a personal thing that the four of us went through together, and I don't want to let anyone else in on it. And two, the less people that know, the better chance we have of keeping it a secret from the Originals."

"So," Gia asked, "Are we lying, or just not telling them the truth."

Damon chuckled. "That's the same thing."

"That's not what I mean." Gia groaned. "I mean, are we just not going to explain who she is until someone asks, or are we coming up with some kind of story? I'm perfectly fine with either, I just need to know."

Elena looked down sadly. "No one can know who she is. Stefan doesn't know about you, right?" Gia shook her head. "Damon can introduce you two as his nieces—the more truth to the lie, the easier it is to believe and remember, for that matter. Charlotte will be your niece as well. Her parents were your sister and brother-in-law. They were killed by vampires and you were left to watch her. You called Damon to help you out, and I wanted to get out of the house, so I came with him. It turns out that I stayed with your family when I did the exchange program in Italy, and since then, you've learned to speak English very well."

"Sounds like you put a lot of thought to that." Damon told her.

"I've been thinking about it since this morning."

"What about you and Charlotte?" Gia asked. "What if she calls you 'mommy' or something around everybody?"

"We'll talk to her about it. Convince her to call me 'Elena', but if she slips up, we'll just say that I look a lot like your sister. But we won't tell everybody this all at once. Only if the question comes up. Telling too much too soon, may give us away. When we get back, we'll just introduce you two as Damon's nieces and leave it at that."

There was silence before a moment before Gia whispered, "I'm sorry."

Elena looked up at her. "What for?"

"For everything that's happened. Your life is so messed up. I just feel sorry for you."

Elena sighed and nodded. "Me too."


	13. Chapter 13

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Please continue to do so! I've written all the way up to chapter 25, and I can tell you that everything isn't always what it seems.

* * *

When they finally pulled into the driveway of the boarding house a few days later (it took them longer to get back since they had a three year old with them who couldn't handle being in the car all day) Elena was relieved and nervous. Relieved because nobody else was there, aside from Stefan and nervous because she wasn't sure how long that would last or how normal their life would ever be.

Elena talked to Charlotte, who didn't seem to have a problem calling Elena by her name, but the three of them decided she wasn't to be left alone with any of the others, just to be safe. Gia held Charlotte and the three of them walked toward the door. Just as Damon reached for the knob, the door flew open and Stefan stood on the other side.

"Where have you been?" He angrily asked Damon, but abruptly froze when he saw Gia. "Who are you?"

"Nice to see you too, Brother." Damon told him as he easily pushed pass him.

"I'm Gi-" Gia started to introduce herself but Damon quickly interrupted.

"This is Gia and her niece, Charlotte. They're also, our nieces...distantly."

"Who are your parents?" Stefan asked suspiciously.

"They're dead." Gia told him.

"That's not what I asked."

"Stefan, leave her alone. She's been through a terrible ordeal and she needs a place to stay."

"How come I've never heard of you?"

"Stefan!" Elena chastised him.

"What? You think I'm going to allow some stranger in my house?"

"Yes." Elena told him. "You are." Elena was obviously livid. She continued glaring at Stefan as she said, "Come on, Gia. I'll show you to your room."

Elena led her away and Stefan quickly turned on Damon. "I don't trust her."

"Well, I do."

"Have you even met her before?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have. Do you think I'd allow somebody I didn't know to come in here especially after all we've been through lately? I've known Gia her whole life and she knows not to cross me."

"And how is it I've never met her before?"

"Because it was need-to-know, and you, dear Brother, didn't need to know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go check on our guest." Damon brushed past him and headed up the stairs. "That was brutal." He said quietly once he was in the room.

"What?" Gia asked at regular volume. Elena quickly put and finger to her lips, tapped her ear and then pointed downstairs. They soon heard the bang of the front door closing and peaked out the window to see a frustrated Stefan running away from the house.

Elena sighed. "This is going to be difficult. Stefan doesn't trust you, he'll probably be listening to everything that goes on."

"Should we tell him?" Gia asked.

"I don't want to, but I don't know."

"The only thing I can think of," Damon began, "Is for you talk to him, Elena, and tell him to stop asking questions. Maybe he'll listen to you."

Elena shook her head. "I don't know. He didn't seem very pleased with me, before. I was really rude to him before we left."

"Well, when he gets back, just try. I'll even forgive you if you have to put the moves on him to convince him."


	14. Chapter 14

Hey everybody. So, just FYI, I've pretty much finished this story. There are like 29 chapters or something like that, and I've started on a trequel kind of maybe, depending on how you guys end up liking this one. So, PLEASE review! Your reviews are what remind me to update the chapters that I've already written.

* * *

"Stefan, can I talk to you?"

Stefan looked up from his position on the couch. "Sure."

Elena took a deep breath and walked over to sit next to him. "You really don't like Gia, do you?"

"What gave you, your first clue?"

"I just don't understand why. You don't even know her."

"That's exactly why, Elena. Too many people have come into our lives with hidden agendas and something about her makes me think she's hiding something."

Elena sighed. She thought for a moment, then tried to muster up all of the sexiness she could. "Stefan," She said, but it sounded way too forced and he was giving her a funny look. She sighed again, then stood up and readjusted herself, so that she was straddling him. Stefan was obviously confused at what was happening. "I really," she started as she reached for the top button on his shirt and leaned in closer, "Really wish...that...Ugh!" She pushed herself off him. "I can't do it."

"Do what?" Stefan was still not understanding what was happening.

"Flirt with you. Damon said I could, but it just feels wrong."

"Damon?" There was anger in voice as he stood up to face her. "Since when does Damon need to give you permission to flirt with me?"

"Since..." Elena started, but shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Look, the point is I know the reason that something seems off about Gia, okay? But trust me when I tell you that we have a good reason in keeping a secret."

"Who's 'we'? You and Damon?"

"And Gia. All three of us. Plus, you know that Damon wouldn't do anything that would hurt me. Just know, that she and Charlotte really are your nieces. That much is true. She's your family, so can you please promise me that you won't listen in on her conversations or try to get inside her head or anything, because it's best for all of us that you don't know the whole story."

Stefan took a deep breath. "No."

"What?"

"No, I can't promise that. You know, in fact, how about I just leave you, and Damon here to play house with Gia and Harlow-"

"Charlotte."

"And I'll go stay with Jeremy. I'll be back later for my things." Then he ran out of the house.

"Well, that's went over well." Damon said from the stairs.

Elena sighed. "Well he's out of the house and that's best for all of us. Even if he promised not to spy, I don't think I could have trusted him."

"Wait, that was your plan all along? To get him to leave?" Elena smirked. "Wow, you're kind of a bitch. I like it."


	15. Chapter 15

"So, what should we do first?" Elena asked Damon as he poured himself a glass of bourbon.

"Why are you asking me?" He said with a smirk. "You're the one with all the ideas."

"Well, I've run out." She exhaled and leaned forward onto the back of the couch.

"Okay, well let's think about it." Damon took a sip of his drink. "Klaus is gone for now, so we don't need to worry about him, and the other originals seem to be laying low. So on that front, we're good. What else is there?"

"What about Zack? We all agree what he did was way out of character. Should we try to figure it out?"

"Why? What good would it do? The guy's dead, Elena. It's not like we can find out from him what was going through his head. You didn't go to the police and no witnesses came forward to report a rape, so even if we could find somebody who knew anything about it besides you, what could you prove?"

"I could prove that maybe my daughter's father wasn't a heartless bastard like I thought he was." Elena's eyes were filling with tears.

"You knew Zack though. He wasn't. That's what you have to tell yourself. He obviously wasn't in his right mind that night." Damon sighed and took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around Elena.

She sniffled. "I know." She said quietly. "I know it's pointless. I just wish there was someway to find out what happened."

"And if we get any leads, I promise you, we'll pursue them."

He let go of her and she nodded, then they heard a faint cry. Elena raced upstairs and into the bedroom where Charlotte had been asleep. "Charlee, are you okay?" Elena asked as she sat down next to her daughter.

Charlotte shook her head. "I had a bad dweam."

Charlotte hugged her mother and Elena wrapped her protectively around her daughter. "It's okay, I'm here now."

She cried into Elena's shoulder. "I don wanna die wike you did."

Elena still held Charlotte, but lifted her head to exchange looks with Damon and Gia.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hey everybody! So, as Christmas present to my faithful readers, I'm going to give you 5 new chapters! I would really appreciate reviews because when I'm not getting reviews, I don't feel like posting/ forget to post new chapters because I feel like nobody likes it anyway. So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! And Merry Christmas!

* * *

"What are you talking about, sweetie?" Elena asked, once the shock of what Charlotte said wore off. "I'm not dead. I'm right here."

Charlotte let go of Elena and shook her head. "I know you die. Ith otay doh. I don cawe."

A pained expression cross Elena's face. "What makes you think I'm dead, Charlee?"

"I had a dweam. My dweams ah alwayth thwite."

Elena looked at Gia, but she was just as confused as Elena and Damon were. "What else have you had dreams about that came true?"

Charlotte shrugged. "Wike...when you say you not gonna weave me. I had a dweam. I say 'I knew id.' 'Membuh?"

Elena nodded and took a glance at the other two adults in the room who were equally as flabbergasted as she was. "Charlotte, how about you color something, because the grown-ups need to talk."

Charlotte huffed. "I knew you wuh gonn thay thad." Charlotte and 'the grown-ups' walked away in opposite directions.

"What the actual fu-"

"Damon!" Elena quickly cut him off. "She's probably listening to us."

"Well, it's not like she hasn't heard me say it before...IN HER DREAMS! Elena, what the hell?!"

"Don't 'what the hell' me! It's not like I knew about it."

"Gia, did you know about this?"

Gia shook her head. "She's never told me about it before. I'm just as shocked as you guys are."

"So she's having like visions or something? Is she a witch?" Damon asked.

"There's no way, is there?" Elena asked. "I mean, we don't live in Harry Potter world. It's not like regular people can become witches. That kind of thing is passed down in the bloodlines, and I'm certainly not a witch, and if it was Zack, wouldn't you have known, and wouldn't Gia have the same abilities?"

"I would think so." Gia said. "And I don't by the way." She quickly added. "What about your friend that's a witch? Maybe she can help?"

Elena shook her head, but Damon was the one who spoke. "I don't trust her." Elena rolled her eyes but Damon continued. "I know she did it to protect us all, but she went behind our backs, who knows what kind of deal she has with Klaus that she isn't telling us. She may turn us over the minute she finds out."

There was silence. Elena didn't think Bonnie would actually do that, but she wasn't completely sure what she capable of either. Gia finally spoke up. "Well, how sure are you that Zack is her father? I mean, I don't know how spells work, but if you are absolutely sure it was Zack, maybe it was just Zack's body. Maybe it wasn't really Zack. You said there were spells that put people's souls into other bodies, and maybe there's a way for a witch to completely shapeshift into another person."

Elena covered her mouth and closed her eyes in an attempt not to lose her Type A+ lunch. "Oh my God. What if you're right? What if her dad really was some monster?"

Damon put his arm around Elena. "Or what if he wasn't?"

"Uncle Damon's, right." Gia quickly agreed, after seeing the effect her over-thinking had. "It could be you." Damon and Elena both gave Gia a confused look. Gia sighed. "You're a doppelganger. Doppelgangers are a supernatural occurrence, so wouldn't it be possible to produce someone with supernatural abilities as well?" The wheels in Elena's head began to turn, but Gia continued talking. "But it's not like there are other children of Doppelgangers running around out there that we could ask."

"No," Elena said, "But there is another doppelganger who had a child."

"Elena, no." Damon said sternly.

"She may help us."

"Wait," Gia interrupted. "Are we talking about Katherine?"

"You want to find, Katherine? Elena, are you out of your damn mind?"

"She's a mother too, Damon. There's no way, she went through her child's whole life without ever once checking in on her. If there was something supernatural about her, she would know."


	17. Chapter 17

They heard a knock on the door, and a voice called, "Elena?"

"That's Jeremy." Elena said, a hint of nervousness in her voice. She hadn't spoken with him since she transitioned and there was this other secret that she had to keep from him, even though she saw last year what happened to their relationship when she tried to keep things from him then too. She took a deep breath and went toward the door.

"This conversation isn't over, Elena."

"You don't tell me what to do!" She yelled before she reached the door.

"Yeah, and how has doing what you want to do worked out so far?"

"Just fine!" She swung the front door open and revealed Jeremy.

"Did I interrupt something?"

"No." Elena said at the same time Damon said "Yes."

"Lover's spat?" Jeremy asked with a hint of smirk playing at his lips. Elena lowered her head in embarrassment. "Stefan's at the house. He wouldn't tell me anything, so I came here to get some answers. Now I know."

"Jeremy, now isn't really a good time." Damon started.

"No, it's a perfect time, come in." Elena said.

Jeremy hesitated, not sure whose bad side he'd rather be on. Finally he took a deep breath. "Really, I just wanted to find out what Stefan was doing at the house and now that I have-"

"Uncah Damon!" Elena and Damon both froze, standing as still as statues."I dwew dis por you."

"Thanks, Char." He said as he took the piece of paper from her and looked at the picture. He couldn't help but notice the similarities to the sight in front of him. It was as if she was drawing from his perspective, he saw Elena, and Jeremy at the door, the only difference was that in the picture, there was somebody standing behind Jeremy. "Jeremy," He spoke steadily. "Get inside and shut the door now."

Elena heard the urgency in his voice, she quickly grabbed Jeremy's arm and pulled him and slammed the door, only to have it stop and slowly swing back open. Elena picked up Charlotte and Damon stepped forward to stand in front Elena, Charlotte, and Jeremy, ready to protect them from whoever was there.


	18. Chapter 18

The door fully opened and Elijah stood there, obviously confused at the picture in front of him- Elena holding a small child, Jeremy there, Damon standing front of them, and no Stefan in sight. It wasn't what he had expected when he opened the door.

"Where's Stefan?" He asked.

"Not here. What do you want?" Damon cut right to the chase.

"I came to see how Elena was doing and apologize for my sister's actions."

"Hewwo!" Charlotte said happily.

Elijah shifted his head to the side. "Hello." He told her with a hint of amusement and confusion in his voice.

"Elijah, now really isn't a-" Elena was saying but was cut off.

"Eli?" All heads turned to the bottom the staircase where Gia stood.

"Giavonna?" Elijah said with surprise. Gia ran to him and immediately met him with a kiss as he embraced her.

"Eww!" Charlotte said and turned her head away.

Gia pulled away. "What are you doing here? How did you..." He voice trailed off and she looked back at Elena and Damon. Saying they looked shocked was an understatement. "Wait. Did you just call him Elijah?" Elena nodded. Gia took a few steps back away from him and put her hand to her lips. "Oh my God." Her voice was shaky and her eyes were quickly filling with tears.

"Charlotte?" Elena started but Charlotte interrupted her.

"I know. Go uptairth and cowor." she sighed as Elena put her down, then slowly climbed the stairs.

"I'm going to go too." Jeremy said. "Give me a call when it's cool to come back. Stefan will probably need some clothes and I don't think he'll want to come and get them himself."

"Thanks, Jere." Elena said with a small smile.

Jeremy left, Gia sat down on the bottom step and buried her head in her hands, and Damon, who wasn't sure if he was more amused or pissed about the situation, started sarcastically, "So Elijah this is my niece Gia. Gia, this Elijah, one of the Originals."

"We've met before." Elijah told him as if he hadn't just witnessed their reunion, mainly because he was more concerned at how upset Gia was.

"Except he didn't tell me he was a vampire." Gia sobbed out. She looked up at Elena and with a scared expression whispered her name. Elena tilted her head to one side trying to understand what was wrong. The way that Gia bit her lip made Elena gasp. Gia immediately stood and ran upstairs away from all of the deadly eyes watching her.

"What's going on?" Damon asked.

Instead of answering his question Elena looked to Elijah, "How long have you known?"

"That you were the subject of Giavonna's stories?" Elena didn't answer, but Damon went from slightly amused and slightly pissed to fully and extremely pissed. "About five months."

"What about-" Elena started.

"Klaus? He doesn't know."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Elena asked before she could stop herself.

"Did you want me to?"

"No. I'm just curious. What was in it for you?"

"Believe it or not, I care about Giavonna. It was months after I met her that I even knew you two knew each other. It wasn't about that for me and I had no reason to betray her trust."

"And now?" She asked with a hint of fear.

"Your secret is safe with me, Elena. I give you my word."

"Thank you."

"I'll ask you again," Damon started. "What are you doing here?"

"Like I told you before, I'm here to check on Elena." He directed at Damon then turn to Elena. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. I just never imagined having to deal with so many things at once."

"I take it you didn't know about her?"

Elena shook her head. "What did Gia tell you?"

"That you lived with her and her uncle while you were pregnant and after you gave birth she took on the responsibility of your child. Although, I figured since you were with Damon, there may have been some compulsion involved."

Elena nodded but Damon groaned. "I can't believe you're letting him in on this."

"It's not like I have a choice, Damon. He already knew!"

"I'm still here." Elijah said nonchalantly.

"Maybe that's the problem." Damon quipped.

"Damon!" Elena snapped. Damon shook his head and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

Elena flinched at the noise. "So, you and Damon?" Elijah asked.

"It's complicated. Stefan's mad at us and thinks Gia's hiding something, so he left and apparently is staying with Jeremy."

"So he doesn't know about Charlotte?"

Elena shook her head. "Just me, Damon, Gia, and you. The less people who know, the less chance there is of Klaus finding out about her."

"I don't think Klaus will be an issue. It would be the next doppelganger you'd have to worry about with him. Your issue would come with Klaus's enemies. If they knew the Petrova line still existed, they may try to kill her to stop another doppelganger from reappearing."

"I know, but I still don't trust Klaus."

"Neither do I, which is why I'll keep the secret. In my opinion though, she's the most protected three year old I know."


	19. Chapter 19

"Elena." Damon said softly and touched her shoulder. Elena woke up ready to fight, hissing and fangs bared. "Shhh." He said calmly. "It's just me." Once Elena took in her surroundings she remembered what had happened. After Damon left and she and Elijah talked for bit, she convinced him that he probably needed to go fix things with Gia. Elena took Charlotte into Damon's room and after having a little mommy/daughter time fell asleep.

Elena looked down at the bed and Charlotte was still sleeping soundly.

"I suppose you want your bed back." Elena said.

Damon shook his head. "No. She can have it for now. We need to talk."

"Look, Damon, I'm not going to apologize for telling Elijah. He already knew and there's no point in trying to convince him otherwise. Plus, really, it's my secret to tell-"

"Elena! It's not about that. When I went out, I found something that you're going to want to see." Elena stared at Damon trying to read his expression. "It's downstairs."

Elena ran down the stairs with vampire speed.

"So it's true. You're one of us. It took you long enough."

"Katherine."

Katherine stood up from her spot on the couch. "So what was _so_ important that I just had to come over here for? I mean, not that seeing you as a vampire isn't good enough."

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"Really? What? Do you want to talk to your mommy about all the emotions you're feeling and I'm the closest you can get?"

In the blink of an eye Elena had charged at Katherine and Katherine had promptly threw her on the ground. As she held her, pinned down, Katherine couldn't help but laugh. "I have over 500 years on you, little girl. Don't try me, or you'll regret it."

"Mommy!" Charlotte called from upstairs. Elena tried to keep a straight face, but apparently didn't succeed.

Katherine glance out of the corner of her eye toward the stairs. "Let me guess." She said with a smirk. "You're 'mommy.'" Elena took the opportunity to flip Katherine over onto her back and stand up.

"Nice one." Katherine nodded. "I'm impressed." Katherine stood up as well and she and Elena began to circle each other. "You know, Elena, now that you're a vampire, you and I could make a great team. Everyone loves twins."

"Look, Katherine, I just need to know something."

"What?"

"What was your daughter like?"

"I wouldn't know, she was taken away from me, remember?"

"I know you said that, but you had to have looked in on her at least once, just to make sure she was doing okay."

"Or what? I would have been a bad mother? Well, Elena, I hate to burst your pristine little bubble of me, but I am. I never gave her a second thought. I was too busy seducing men and controlling the bloodlust."

"I don't believe that."

"Well, it's not my problem if you refuse to believe the truth." Katherine sighed. "This was a waste of my time. I'm going back to the house where Damon found me." After Katherine left, Elena ran to find Damon.

"What house did you find Katherine in?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because she wants me to go after her."

"And what gave you that idea? I heard the conversation, Elena. It didn't sound like she had much to say."

"I don't believe that. I need to go after her."

Damon sighed. "Tomorrow. I'll give you the address tomorrow."

Elena sighed and nodded. "Was Charlotte okay?"

"Bad dream." He told her.

"I really hope we figure this out soon."


	20. Chapter 20

Elena looked down at the piece of paper in her hand with Katherine's address on it, then looked up at the house in front of her to make sure it was the same one. She took a deep breath and knocked.

Katherine came to the door and smirked. "Elena. What brings you here? Come to take me up on my offer?"

"No." Elena said with determination. "I came to find out about your daughter."

"I already told you I never met her."

"And I know you lied."

Katherine stared Elena up and down before finally sighing and pushing the door open further so Elena could walk inside.

"What do you want to know?" Katherine asked as she sat down on the couch.

Elena sat down across from her. "Everything."

"Her name was Ana Maria. I met her when she was 16. I moved in with her next door neighbor for the summer and posed as the granddaughter. She was smart, and witty, and we were actually friends. I left at the end of the summer and waited about 20 years before showing back up. I was going to pose as my own daughter, but when I got there, I found out she had died giving birth to my granddaughter. Suddenly, I had this unspeakable rage for that little girl. I hated her for killing my Ana, and that was the day I decided that my family truly was dead."

Elena couldn't help the tears that clouded her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"It was a long time ago." Katherine shrugged. "Now what made you so interested in her?"

"I never answered you yesterday, but when you guessed that I was 'Mommy', you were right. I just got her back. After I had her I was compelled to forget about her and when I transitioned I remembered her."

"Who's her father?" Katherine asked with intrigue.

Elena shrugged. "That's something I'm not too sure about. I was raped, and the person I remember as being my attacker, doesn't make sense. And then there's the fact that she's a little more," Elena paused to think of the right word. "Perceptive than most, and I'm not sure why."

"The Petrova bloodline is naturally more sensitive to the supernatural."

"What about visions?" Elena asked hesitantly.

"Visions?"

"Charlotte has dreams about things that will happen."

"Sounds witchy to me."

"So, are you saying that Ana never had dreams about the future?"

"So, that's what this is about. You wanted to know if Charlotte and Ana had similar abilities?"

Elena nodded. "I was hoping that it was our bloodline that caused the visions, because if not..." Elena trailed off, but Katherine pushed.

"If not...what?"

"If not, then that means it came from her father...and the guy who I remembered raping me, wasn't a witch."

"How do you know?"

"Because it was Zack Salvatore."

Katherine shook her head. "Zack is a softy. He wouldn't do that."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Are you sure you're remembering right?"

"It's pretty clear."

"I don't know what to tell you then. If her visions come from the Petrova line, it's the first I've heard of it."

An hour later, Elena walked through the front door of the boarding house.

"How'd it go?" Damon asked.

"Great!" Elena lied. "The same thing happened to her daughter too. Mystery solved." She put on a fake smile. She couldn't tell Damon the truth, not until she really knew what happened that night.


	21. Chapter 21

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! I'm giving you three chapters this time, just because I feel like it. Remember to review!

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Elena quickly sat up in bed, gasping.

"You okay?" Damon asked sleepily.

"Yeah. I'm fine." The truth was, every time she fell asleep she had the same dream of Zack raping her. She wished she could stop having it because it wasn't telling her anything new. They had been back in Mystic Falls for a week. All of their friends had met Gia and Charlotte. Stefan was still occupying Elena's old room and (if Elena's suspicions were correct) had fallen under Katherine's spell once again- not that she minded, since she was with Damon now. But with Damon, she felt like there was a three year-old elephant in the room. Not knowing for sure who Charlotte's father was, was something Elena couldn't move past. The more her dream confirmed that Zack was indeed her attacker, the more she knew something was wrong about it, she just couldn't figure it out.

Elena got up and walked downstairs and found Gia sitting in the kitchen.

"Couldn't sleep?" She asked Elena.

"No. You?"

"Negatory. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm still having that same dream. Seeing Zack attack me. But the more I have it, the more it doesn't make sense. What about you?"

"I'm still having trouble with Eli...or Elijah or whatever it is that he's called. I mean, I feel like he lied to me, but at the same time, I never asked him if he was a vampire either. And he hasn't done anything to betray my trust really. I just... I never imagined myself falling in love with a vampire."

"Same here, much less two. Of course I never imagined myself becoming one either."

There was silence from both girls before Elena finally said. "I want to tell everyone the truth. About Charlotte."

"What? Why?" Gia asked alarmed.

"I feel like keeping the secret is pointless now, and maybe there is somebody else who can figure something out that we can't."

"What happened to it being just the four of us?"

"That was over the minute Elijah showed up." Gia looked down, embarrassed. "Hey, it's not your fault, it's just that he knew and Katherine knows and I just feel more and more guilty about lying to everyone, when they don't know and two people we don't have great track records with do."

"How do you want to tell them?"

"Well, the people I really want to tell are Jeremy, Bonnie, and Caroline."

"What about Stefan?"

"I don't think he deserves to hear it from me. If he finds out from someone else, I don't care, but he lost the right to know the minute he walked out the door the first time."

Gia nodded. "Are you going to talk with Damon about it?"

"Probably, but I doubt he'll agree with me. I think he feels like he has more of a right to protect Charlotte than I do. I mean, sure he knew her these past almost four years when I didn't, but that's not my fault. It's not like I abandoned her like Isobel did to me. If I had it my way, she never would have left my side." She could feel herself getting emotional. This was the first time she'd really voiced her opinions and now that she started, she couldn't stop. "I still remember how my heart shattered into a thousand pieces the minute I handed her over to Damon that day in Italy. Knowing I would never see her again. If Damon hadn't compelled me, I think it would have been years before I stopped crying. Even after I was compelled, I always felt this loss or void that I couldn't explain. At the time I chocked it up to missing being in Italy, but now I know it was her." Tears fell freely and she began to sob. "I would never do anything to hurt her and I love her so much. She's such an amazing little girl and I have you and Damon to thank for that, and I just can't keep her a secret anymore."

Gia wrapped her arms around Elena as she let her friend sob into her shoulder. "It's okay." She told her soothingly. Gia looked up and saw Damon walking toward them, a sad expression on his face. He knew Elena was in pain. Even though she had gotten Charlotte back, she was still mourning the time that she missed out on and it was his fault. He was the one who caused her pain. And he hated himself for that.

"Elena." He spoke softly. She looked up and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm so sorry." he told her, he voice breaking slightly. Tears filled her eyes again as she ran to his embrace.

"Damon, I-" She started.

"I know." He cut her off. "I heard you. We'll tell them tomorrow."


	22. Chapter 22

Gia was watching Charlotte upstairs while Elena and Damon sat across from Caroline, Jeremy, and Bonnie.

"You're really starting to scare me. What's going on?" Bonnie asked.

"We have something to tell you." Elena started. Damon squeezed her hand and she looked up at him.

"You're not pregnant are you?" Jeremy said with a small laugh, causing Caroline to laugh too.

Damon and Elena exchanged looks because they had no idea how close their theory was to the truth.

Caroline noticed their glance and immediately stopped laughing. "Oh my God! How is that even possible?"

"No!" Elena said quickly and shook her head. "I'm not pregnant." Caroline released a huge breath. "Not...anymore at least."

"Okay, now you've lost me." Jeremy said seriously. Caroline and Bonnie shared the same expression, eyebrow slightly raised, mouth slightly open.

"Um..." Elena started, not sure how to go about saying this. "It's a really long story." After that she looked down and never met any of their eyes. "The gist of it is that I was raped about four and half years ago...and um...I met Damon that night and he compelled me to forget about what happened." She swallowed and took a breath. "Uh...I found out I was pregnant and since I couldn't remember what happened... My parents were concerned that vampires had something to do with it, so they sent me to Italy to have the baby. They...uh...told me to tell everybody that I was doing a foreign exchange program. While I was in Italy, I met Damon...uh...again...and Gia...and I had Charlotte. After she was born Damon compelled me...um...again... to forget about him, and Gia, and the baby. So, Gia raised Charlotte the past few years, and once I transitioned...everything came back to me...so Damon and I brought them back here." She sighed again trying to collect her thoughts. "I felt that not telling you all the whole story would protect her, because even vampires can be compelled by Originals and if you didn't know, then there would be no way for them to find out...But, Elijah knows, and so does Katherine, and I couldn't keep her a secret from you three anymore." There was complete silence. "So, questions?"

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, almost in tears after hearing her friend's story and wishing she could have been there for her.

Elena nodded. "I'm fine." Caroline got up and gave her a hug.

"Who?" Jeremy asked hesitantly, not want to actually ask the question.

Elena shook her head. "I don't know. Not really. I keep having dreams that it was Zack Salvatore, but I don't believe that's true. Something is just off about it."

"How did Katherine find out?" Bonnie asked.

"That's another thing." Elena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "When we got back, Charlee decided to let us know that she was having dreams...about the future." The other three's eyes all widened. "I had to tell Katherine in order to find out if her daughter had similar...abilities as Charlotte. I was hoping it was the Petrova bloodline and not her father's."

"And it was." Damon said. "So, nothing to worry about."

Elena closed her eyes tight. "In the spirit of being honest... I have something to tell you. I lied."

"What?" Damon asked, with anger and hurt.

Elena shook her head and stood up to face him, with her arms folded in front of her, hugging herself. "Katherine said that she'd never heard of that happening before. That if it was the Petrova bloodline, it was the first she'd seen of it. She said it sounded like witch blood."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because," Elena started before the tears spilled over. "I still want to believe Zack is her father, and Gia is her sister, because the alternative is just too damn depressing! At least this way I would know her dad was a good guy, even if he had a moment of weakness or insanity or whatever. Because, if it's not me, then it's him, and that scares the hell out of me, because that means I have no idea who he could be, or what he could be."

"Maybe I could tell you." Bonnie said softly.

Elena looked back at her, thought for a moment and nodded. All five of them walked upstairs and into Charlotte's room. She stood up and handed Elena a picture of what looked like Bonnie holding Charlotte's hand and Elena with a sad face. She bent down to Charlotte's level. She looked upset.

"I'm not going to like what she sees. Am I?" Elena asked her daughter.

Charlotte shook her head 'no'. Elena nodded silently and stood back up. Charlotte gave her hand to Bonnie who closed her eyes and took it.


	23. Chapter 23

Bonnie dropped Charlotte's hand and gave her a puzzled look.

"What did you see?" Elena asked her.

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked with confusion.

"It was strange. I felt power. A lot of power."

"So, she does have witch blood in her."

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, but, that's not all."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I... I don't know." She said quickly. "Look, Elena, I'm glad you wanted to let me know what happened, but I need to go."

"Bonnie, wait!" Jeremy called after she ran out of the room.

Damon appeared in front of her. "Look, witch I- Agh!" Bonnie hit him with the brain aneurysms, incapacitating him long enough to make her escape.

"What the hell?" Caroline exclaimed and looked at Elena.

Elena sighed and looked down at Charlotte and noticed she was crying.

"Oh, sweetie, it's okay!" she told her as she bent down to her level and gave her a hug.

"She dothen wike me."

"Of course she does."

"No! She finks I bad."

Elena couldn't get much else out of her, so finally they left her room, after Elena put her down for a nap. Jeremy and Caroline left after being given instructions to keep an eye on Bonnie. Damon was just pissed about everything. He was pissed that Bonnie had used that witchy headache of hers on him, he was pissed that Elena didn't tell him what Katherine said before, he was pissed Elena wanted to tell Bonnie who Charlotte really was because now she's the one who knows the most about her and if Charlotte's right, in that Bonnie thinks that Charlotte is 'bad', who knows what that means, and who knows what Bonnie will do? Damon wanted to believe that she would never hurt Charlee, but lately he wasn't so sure. Elena just wanted to sleep. She felt so exhausted, maybe it was from crying earlier. She curled up on the couch and fell asleep quickly.

She woke up a few hours later, to somebody knocking on the door. She threw the cover off of her that Damon or Gia must have put on her while she was asleep and went to the door.

"Matt? What are you doing here?"

"I came to..." He trailed off and sighed. "Caroline, told me that Charlotte was your daughter."

Elena smiled. "Of course she did." Matt shifted uncomfortably. "Is there something you wanted to say, Matt?"

"I just wanted to know how old is she again? I mean, when did you...Because you and I..."

Elena's eyes widened when she realized where Matt was going with this. "Whoa, slow down. I guess Caroline omitted the part where I was raped."

"You were...oh my God, when?"

"Remember the night of our 7th grade end of the year party?"

"Yeah..." Matt said with confusion.

"When I went back into the woods to find my earring I was attacked."

"What are you talking about? You didn't come to end of the year party. You said you were staying home sick."

"No." Elena said, panic rising in her voice. "We were playing hide-and-seek and I lost my earring."

"We never played hide-and-seek. One of the guys, stole beer from his dad and we were all drinking it when Zack Salvatore showed up and told us to go home or threatened to call our parents."

"Zack Salvatore?"

"Yeah, whatever happened to him anyway?"

"Damon killed him." She absent-mindedly.

"What?!"

"Don't worry, it was a long time ago. And Zack tried to kill him first."

"Elena, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I keep remembering Zack attacking me. But it doesn't make sense, and yet, everything points to it being him."

"What does it matter if he was there, Elena, you weren't."

"I wasn't?"

"No."

"Then why do I remember being there?"

"Maybe, you're remembering what someone wants you to remember."

"Like, compulsion? But I'm a vampire, I should remember everything I was compelled to do. Right?"

Matt's eyes widened. "What if you weren't compelled by just any vampire. What if you were compelled by a vampire that can compel vampires?"

"Like an Original?"

There was another knock on the door and Elena rushed to open it. "Bonnie? Oh thank God, I-" Something about the look on Bonnie's face made Elena stop. Something wasn't right. That's when the other person stepped behind her.

"Hello, love."

* * *

DUN DUN DUN! So, I can't remember if it was ever discussed if a human, compelled by an Original, who turns into a vampire remembers everything right away or not. But for the sake of this story, Whatever an Original compels a human to do, they will only remember if the Original tells them to.


	24. Chapter 24

"Klaus." Elena whispered, a quiver in her voice. Before she could do anything, Klaus grabbed her and whisked her off. They were moving so fast, when they finally stopped they were at his house, in a room that locked from the outside that one of his hybrids was guarding until Klaus got the chance to talk to Elena.

"So I hear a congratulations are in order."

"For what?"

"I was referring to you and Damon finally biting the bullet, why? Was there something else that I needed to know?" He said with a smirk.

"What do you want, Klaus. Why are we here?"

"I needed a place where we could talk without being pestered by friends, or boyfriends, or brothers, or _children_."

Elena stood as still as a statue.

Suddenly Klaus became serious, almost sad, definitely no longer playful.

"Did you name her Charlotte?"

"Did Bonnie tell you that?"

"No." He said with shake of his head. "You did."

"When?"

"About five years ago. " Elena opened her mouth to say something, but was at a loss for words. "You said that if you ever had a daughter, you would name her Charlotte because it's your mother's middle name."

"How did you know that?"

"And her middle name would be the same as your Aunt Jenna's? May she rest in peace." Elena charged at him, but he casually threw her on her back. "Did you really just try to take me? Tsk tsk tsk."

"Let go of me!" She yelled.

"Are you going to fight me? Because I could compel you not to right now."

"No." She said softly. He got off of her and she took a few steps back. "So, explain to me how you know all of this."

"I could explain it to you, or you could save me a lot of time and just remember." He looked into her eyes and suddenly everything came flooding back to her.

"Elena!" Damon called as he ran down the stairs. He was met with Matt staring incredulously at Bonnie.

"Klaus took her." Matt told Damon.

"What?" He noticed the look Matt was giving Bonnie and knew she had something to do with it. In one swift motion he bit his wrist, grabbed Bonnie and forced his blood into her mouth, then held her with his right arm wrapped around her neck and his left hand at her head.

"Where is she?"

Bonnie stayed quiet. Damon could feel that witchy headache but he was too mad to let it bother him. He tightened his grip on her. "Tell me right now, or I'll snap your neck so fast, and then I'd like to see you try to give another one of these headaches. Now, where is she?!"


	25. Chapter 25

Elena slowly looked up and met Klaus's eyes. She felt like she had zoned out for a minute as all of her memories came back to her, as if she had to relive them all over again.

"Nik." She said with realization. She remembered everything. She remembered that she met Klaus several years before, after the bus left her in Washington DC on a school field trip. All of her things, including her phone were left on the bus. She was just about to find a phone to call her mom when she met him. He introduced himself as 'Nik' and after hearing her story, offered to drive her back to Mystic Falls because he was headed that way. Elena normally wouldn't go with a strange guy in a strange city, but she did for some reason, and now she knew that she had been compelled.

The trip back was fun though. They talked about basically everything they could. Before he left her at the school, he gave her his phone number, telling her that if she ever needed any help, he would be there, after all, he had to keep her alive long enough so that he could kill her once he had the moonstone again. He told her to think of him as the big brother she never had.

And she did, for awhile. But, for thirteen year-old Elena, it all meant something very different than what Klaus intended it to mean. Elena's conversations with Klaus made it seem like this guy who she assumed had to be at least 19, was really interested in her. She talked to him about everything, and he seemed to be really interested in what she had to say. For Klaus though, he was just trying to gain and keep Elena's trust. He didn't intend for anything he said to be misconstrued as flirting, even though it was. He tried to stay as far away from that as possible. He knew the kind of effect the doppelgangers had on him, and even though this one was still very young, he didn't want to take any chances.

Then, Elena remembered the night of the party. She told her parents that's where she was going, then she hopped on a bus and went to Nik's place, that was right outside of Mystic Falls.

_Elena knocked three times. It felt like it took forever for him to finally open the door. _

"_Elena? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to that party with your friends."_

"_I was, but I decided that parties are for children, and I'd rather watch a movie with you. You told me we were going to introduce me to Bela Lugosi."_

"_Elena, you _are_ a child. Go to the party, look, I'll even take you myself."_

_He grabbed his keys that were sitting next to the door and began to walk out. _

"_Nik!" Elena whined._

"_Elena!" Nik mocked. Elena folded her arms across her chest._

"_I don't want to go to the party."_

"_Then, I'll take you home, but either way, you're not staying here."_

_Elena sighed. "Fine. Take me to the stupid party."_

"_I knew you'd see it my way." He told her. _

_He pulled off on the side of the road so she could get out and walk. Elena quickly became brave and as she was thanking him for bringing her, she kissed him. Nik's mind immediately went to battle, half of him knowing it had to stop and the other half wanting it to continue. He put his hand up with full intentions of pushing her off of him but instead ended up cupping her face. He'd always had a weakness for the doppelgangers. Especially the taste of their blood. He heard Elena scream and then realized his fangs were out. He groaned inwardly as Elena tried to make sense of what was happened._

"_What are you?" She asked, frightened and angry._

"_Elena," He started calmly._

"_You're a monster!" She yelled and opened the door as fast as she could and took off running._

_Nik didn't know what came over him. He'd been rejected all of his life, by his father, by his siblings, by the doppelgangers. This one hating him finally pushed him over the edge. He ran after her._

"It was you." Elena said as she took a few steps back. After she ran away from the car, Klaus had run after her. He held her down, bit her wrist and drank some of her sweet-smelling blood, then crushed her ankle with his bare hand. When it was over, Zack, who was apparently lacking vervain, showed up, after having made the kids who were at the party go home, and Klaus quickly compelled them both; Elena, to believe she had been at the party and that Zack was the one who had raped her and Zack, to forget everything he had seen. "Why did you let me remember now after all this time? What did Bonnie say to you?"

"She told me you had a daughter who was almost four who may need my help."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Finally everything came together in Elena head. "Wait... if you were the one who..." She trailed off unable to say it out loud. "That means that Charlotte...that you're Charlotte's...How is that possible?"

Klaus clenched his jaw as he processed what Elena was saying. "I don't know."


	26. Chapter 26

Neither Klaus nor Elena felt like running all the way back to the boarding house, so Klaus drove. They drove in silence for awhile before Elena finally said, "How do I know all of that stuff really happened? I how do I know you didn't plant those memories in my head just now? You could have guessed about her being named after my mom and Jenna."

"Could I have guess her being named after me?"

"But she wasn't named after you."

Klaus sighed. "Remember when we talked about siblings?" Elena nodded. "I told you my brother Kol and I were very close."

"Which was a lie." Elena spat.

"But that was the night you told me you knew you would name your daughter after your mother and aunt. Charlotte Nicole. But how did you end up spelling her middle name?"

Elena felt her face go pale as she thought about her daughter's name. "N-i-k-k-o-l"

"Nik. Kol."

"So it is all true?"

"Why would I lie to you, Elena?"

"Well, I don't know, let me guess!" She yelled sarcastically. "Maybe, because you're a sick, sadistic, son of a-"

"Damon let her go!" Matt yelled.

"I don't know where she is." Bonnie choked out.

"Why did you go to him? After Elena trusted you?" Damon was livid with the witch.

"Because I think Charlotte needs his help."

"Why would Charlotte possibly need his-"

"She's dying, Damon."

"What?" Damon loosened his grip on her. Bonnie gulped the air down the best she could.

The front door opened and Elena and Klaus walked in.


	27. Chapter 27

"Damon! What are you doing?" Elena scolded when she saw the death grip he had on her friend.

"I'm making her tell me the truth!"

"Put her down and I'll tell you myself."

Damon slowly let go and Bonnie ran toward Elena.

"So what do you know about Charlotte being sick?" Damon almost yelled at Elena.

"What?!" Both Elena and Klaus sounded concerned.

"You didn't tell me that." Klaus snapped at Bonnie.

"I assumed you didn't need or want to know specifics."

"Well you know what they say about witches who assume."

"Why do you care anyway?" Damon asked with intrigue.

"Damon-" Elena started wanting to be the one to let him know about the new information that had been uncovered in the past hour.

"Don't!" Klaus quickly compelled her, then turned back to Damon with a slight smirk on his face. "I care, because she's mine."

Damon snapped. Snapped Klaus's neck that is.

"Damon, what the hell did you just do?" Elena panicked.

"I have no clue." Damon said robotic as he looked down at Klaus's body, knowing he'd be in for it when Klaus awoke.


	28. Chapter 28

"Wait, so, _Klaus_ is her father?" Matt asked. Elena nodded. "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know. I thought vampires couldn't procreate." Elena looked pointedly at Damon.

"But he's not just any vampire, and you weren't just any human." Bonnie said as if her thoughts were somewhere else.

"What are you saying?" Damon said with slight disgust.

"I'm saying, that it all makes perfect sense."

"Well do you want to explain it to the rest of us, because we're a little lost."

"Damon, just stop giving her a hard time!" Elena scolded.

"Giving her a hard time? She just went to the one person we were trying to keep this from!"

"And it's a good thing she did! Nik needed to know!" The name slipped out and there was no unringing that bell.

"_Nik_! Since when do you call him Nik, and since when does he have a right to know anything? Elena, he was the one who _raped_ you. He _forced_ himself on you, and you're willing to forget all of that?"

"I'm not willing to forget it, but it's like I've been telling you, I wanted someone who wasn't a complete monster to be her father."

"But he _is_ a complete monster, or have you forgotten that he killed Jenna. Hell, he killed _you_. And for completely selfish reasons!"

"You don't know him like I do."

Damon's eyes widened. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. Have you completely lost it? Are you in love with him? Was it even rape at all?"

"I was 13, Damon!"

"You didn't answer the question, Elena."

"I...I love _you_, Damon."

Damon slammed Elena against the wall. "Stop avoiding the question!"

"Yes!" Damon felt like he had been slapped, yet again. "Are you happy, now?! Thirteen year-old Elena fell in love with an older guy who rescued her from a potentially dangerous situation. A guy who spent hours talking to her at night. A guy who she bore her soul to. Sorry, Damon, you weren't the first. But then, that stupid, naïve, little girl kissed the guy who she thought was her Prince Charming, and instead of seeing fireworks, she saw fangs and she ran away. It's my own fault he came after me that night." She sobbed the last sentence. "I would have willingly been with him if I didn't know he was a vampire. So, yeah, maybe I wanted it. Maybe even a part of me _enjoyed_ it. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Did you just blame yourself for what he did to you?"

"Unbelievable!" Elena threw her hands up and pushed him away. "You beg me to tell you the truth and you can't even accept it!" Elena took a deep breath. "I named her after him."

Damon was confused. "What?"

"He compelled me to forget him, but I didn't. Not really. Charlotte Nikkol. Think about the spelling."

"You didn't know what he was tho-"

"_Who_, Damon. _Who_ he was. Ni-Klaus is not a what he's a who. Just like you and me."

"Stop sticking up for him!"

"Stop being mad at him for something I brought on myself!"

"Stop blaming yourself for something he did!"

"Stop trying to protect me!"

"Stop all the yelling!" Klaus yelled loud enough to catch their attentions. "I can't even be dead in peace."

Suddenly Damon and Klaus charged at each other at the same time and Elena charged between them, and held them apart before they got to each other. "Neither of you lays a hand on the other one. Got it?" Klaus and Damon stared daggers at each other before walking away "Now, Bonnie. What exactly did you see when you touched Charlee? What did Damon mean by her being sick?"

"Well, I've been thinking about it all. Klaus, your mother was a witch, so that must be how Charlotte got her powers, and the vampire blood, has just amplified them, which is why I felt them really strong."

"But I thought you couldn't be a witch and a vampire." Elena voiced her thoughts.

"But she's not a full vampire. That's the thing. Did you drink Elena's blood before...you..." Klaus nodded. "Well, that must have been what awakened the human part of you and made it possible for you to 'procreate' as Damon likes to say. When I touched her, I felt power, and death. But not the same kind of death I feel when I touch Damon or Stefan, it was death that was coming, and then I saw Klaus, and I knew that he was the key to saving her, and that's why I left. I knew if I told you where I was going you wouldn't let me."

"So, she's dying?" Elena asked close to tears. "What's wrong and why is Klaus the cure?"

"Now that I know the whole story, I think that it's the wolf side of her is attacking the vampire side of her. It seems like the visions she's been having have been getting more and more frequent and I think it's kind of like the hallucinations vampires get when they're bitten, except since she's a witch, she's just seeing the future more and more frequently."

"So, my blood, will cure her?" Klaus asked.

Bonnie sighed. "Your blood will treat her, maybe a little once a week or so. The cure would be doppelganger blood."

"And I'm not human anymore, so I wouldn't be of any use."

Bonnie shook her head sadly. "But, if my assumptions are right, as long as she has your blood, Klaus, she could live forever."

"Where is she even?" Elena asked. "I would have thought she'd at least come down here after all the screaming." All five of them exchanged looks and ran upstairs to Charlotte's room as fast as they could.


	29. Chapter 29

The three vampires were there first obviously, while Bonnie and Matt trailed behind them.

"Charlee!" Elena yelled when she saw her daughter laying very still on her bed. Elena felt a faint pulse but she wasn't responding to Elena. "Oh my God! Charlee, wake up!" She shook her slightly and that was the scene and Bonnie and Matt finally arrived to. Elena looked up to the Original. He was just staring at the little girl on the bed.

"Klaus!" Elena tried to get his attention, but to no avail. "Klaus!" she tried again louder. No response. "Nik!" His ears perked up and he looked at Elena. Her eyes pleading with him. "Please, do something."

Klaus swallowed and bit his wrist, then walked over to the bed and let his blood drip into Charlotte's mouth.

"She's been having nightmares about her death." Elena sobbed. "She told me she didn't want to die like me. I didn't realize-" She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Damon. "I'm so sorry." she told him as she buried her head in his shoulder.

"Elena." Klaus said. Elena looked back and saw Charlee's eyes fluttering open.

"Mommy?"

"Oh, sweetie!" Elena bent down to give her a hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I thorry." She looked over and saw Klaus leaning over her. "Who awe you?"

"This is," Elena started and debated on what she should called him. "Nik." she finally decided on. "He's-"

"I'm a friend of your mom's."

A big smile appeared on Charlee's face. "I knew id!" She sat up and got off of her bed and looked underneath it, bringing out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "I dwew dis por you."

"You like to draw?" he asked her. She nodded. "I like to draw too." He looked down at the picture. "Who is this?" He asked her.

"Me and you. Dwawing togevew. Tomowwow."

"Well that sounds lovely, but only if your mom is okay with it."

Elena smiled. "We'll see, but if you drew it, it must be true. I think you're going to have a harder time convincing Uncle Damon." Elena gave Damon a look out of the corner of her eye and leaned into him.


	30. Chapter 30

An hour later, Matt and Bonnie had gone home. Damon had turned in early, but Elena wasn't about to let Charlotte out of her sight and Klaus had decided to stay a little longer. They sat on the couch with Charlotte stretched out between them. They hadn't said much while Charlotte was awake, but now she was for sure asleep and Klaus decided to break the silence.

"I heard you blaming yourself for what happened."

"Klaus I-"

"No, let me finish. I'm... I'm sorry. For everything. For leading you on when you were so young, for taking out my frustrations of being rejected on you, for killing your aunt, and you, and turning you into a human bloodbag."

"What's with all of the apologies?"

"Everything I ever did was to make an army of hybrids because that would give me power and acceptance. But it was all really stupid, because I think she knows my flaws and still wants me to draw with her."

"I think that's called love." Elena smiled. "I think she loves you." Elena thought for a moment then asked. "Why didn't you just tell her who you were? I mean, you are the reason she's here."

"Because I don't think I'm ready to admit it to her yet. But I think she knows anyway. She's seems pretty smart like that. Also, for the record, I like you and Damon together, much more than you and Stefan."

Elena chuckled. "Thanks. I think it's going to take some adjustment for him to get used to you having a role in Charlotte's life. Even if it is just providing her with weekly blood transfusions so to speak."

"I'd like more than that if you're okay with it."

"I am." The front door opened and Gia came in with Elijah right behind her.

"Niklaus?" Elijah asked with some alarm. Gia, quickly stepped behind Elijah.

"Nik," Elena started and received a strange look from Elijah as if he was asking her the same question Damon had, 'Since when do you call him Nik?' "This is Gia, your brother's girlfriend and the one who raised Charlee these past almost four years."

"Nice to meet you." Gia only nodded.

"Elena?" Elijah asked.

Elena and Klaus exchanged looks. Elena spoke. "You may want to sit down."


	31. Author's Note

So, there it is! _The Story Continues_ is complete. Let me know what you thought. I have ideas for two other stories based on this series. The first is a prequel, of what happened between Klaus and Elena, a more detailed version of chapter 25. The second would be a continuation set about 12/13 years in the future with Charlee as the main character. Let me know which story (if any) you would like to see more.


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